Page 63 of The Summer We Started Over

Eddie snorted. “If you say so.”

They carried the desserts out to the table. Conversation quickly turned to pleasant subjects. Favorite desserts. Funniest Facebook posts. Chickens adopting puppies, dogs adopting kittens.

“This was a wonderful dinner,” Drew said, looking around the table. “Thank you all, for the delicious food and the fascinating conversation.”

“You’re welcome,” Eddie told him. “Maybe Barrett can show you the Book Barn before you go.”

“I’ll help you in the kitchen,” Dinah told Eddie. She didn’t bother to say goodbye to Drew.

“I’ve got some emails to answer,” William grumbled, disappearing into his study.

Barrett took Drew’s hand and led him through the kitchen and out to the porch. Night had fallen, but a radiance lingered in the sky. The horse appeared at the fence, as if checking out the newcomer. She snorted, tossed her head, and galloped to the far end of the field.

They stepped into the barn. Before she could speak, Drew embraced Barrett, kissed her long and hungrily.

When Drew pulled away, he said, “I apologize if I displeased anyone in your family.”

Barrett laughed. “You sound so old-fashioned.”

“Can you blame me? You have an…unusual family.” Quickly, he added, “I enjoyed them. Now show me this barn enterprise.”

Barrett turned on the overhead light and they walked around the shop. She pointed out each category—mystery, children’s, fiction, textbooks.

“You’re pricing these at fifty cents?” Drew asked. “How can you make a profit?”

“Oh, it’s not about making a profit,” Barrett assured him. “It’s about clearing the house of all the books our family has acquired over the years. Our father’s a bit of a hoarder, only of books, but still…” Feeling embarrassed, she asked jokingly, “See anything you like? I’ll sell them to you for a quarter.”

“Let me get this straight. You’re bringing all these books out of the house to this barn, and someone remains here to sell them?” Drew walked around the charming room they’d put together. “It doesn’t seem like a very good use of personal time. Does Dinah sit out here? Or your father?”

“Oh, no, they’re busy writing their own books. Eddie is out here mostly, but it’s not like we have a steady stream of customers. Probably at the end of the summer we’ll end up donating the books to a thrift shop.”

“Why don’t you go ahead and do that now? This means you have to carry the books at least twice. Eddie could get a job that makes real money. This seems a waste of time.”

“It’s not, really,” Barrett protested. “We’ve had…a lot of changes in our lives, and this process is sort of therapeutic.”

“Okaaay.” Drew seemed amused.

Barrett changed the subject. “But hey, it’s a gorgeous night. Want to drive me out to the beach to look at the stars?”

“Sorry. I’m catching an early plane back to Boston tomorrow.” Drew wrapped Barrett in a warm hug and whispered in her ear. “I wish I couldlook at the starswith you, but when we do, I want to do it right.”

Before the meaning of his words came clear in Barrett’s mind, Drew kissed her long and firmly, pressing her against him, all up and down. She was uncomfortable. She wanted to explain that she actually meantlook at the starswhen she said “look at the stars,” but the moment passed. She walked Drew to his car, kissed him goodbye, and watched him drive away.

twelve

Barrett had just opened her shop for the day. She was dusting and windexing her glass shelves when Paul came in, carrying a small cardboard carton. He was wearing work boots and his T-shirt was already damp with sweat. July could be hot on the island, and humid.

She gave him a big smile. It always made her happy to see him.

“Hi, Paul. What’s up?”

Paul gently placed the box on her glass countertop. He was flushed.

He cleared his throat. “I thought you might be interested in these.”

He lifted out a small object: two bluebirds sitting on a branch. The entire piece, about eight inches long and eight inches high, balanced perfectly on the shelf. The birds had been carved from wood and painted a deep mesmerizing sapphire, with shiny black eyes and beaks.

“Did you make this?” Barrett carefully picked up the carving and turned it around, inspecting it. “Paul, this is amazing. So beautiful. Sodetailed. And the tilt of their little heads toward each other is adorable. I want it!”

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